Dengue surge overwhelms Khulna hospitals as deaths, admissions climb

Dengue is surging across Khulna, with two more deaths and 75 new hospital admissions reported in the division in the past 24 hours, putting hospitals under mounting pressure.

Both patients who died were from Khulna district.

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The latest figures were disclosed in a report signed by Md Mosharraf Hossain, director of the Khulna divisional health department, yesterday.

Of the 75 newly admitted patients, 53 were admitted to government hospitals and 22 to private facilities.

Khulna district recorded the highest number of new admissions, with 40, followed by Bagerhat with 28. Narail reported four admissions, Meherpur two and Kushtia one.

Since January 1, a total of 3,191 dengue patients have been admitted to hospitals across the division. Of them, 2,777 have recovered and been discharged, 365 are undergoing treatment and 37 have been referred to other hospitals. Twelve people have died.

Nine of the deaths were recorded at Khulna Medical College Hospital, while two victims were from Khulna district and one from Bagerhat, according to the health department.

The outbreak has intensified sharply in recent weeks. Health department data show admissions began rising in July before accelerating in August.

A total of 506 patients were admitted across the division between last August 8 and 13. No deaths were reported during that period, but the rapid increase in admissions has strained hospital capacity.

Khulna General Hospital is facing severe pressure from the dengue surge. Although the hospital has only 25 beds allocated for dengue patients in its two medicine wards, 61 patients were receiving treatment there yesterday. The strain extends across the hospital, where 162 patients were admitted against a capacity of 110 beds, forcing authorities to accommodate many beyond its designated capacity.

“About 80 percent of the patients coming to our outpatient department are suffering from fever,” said Dr Rafiqul Islam Gazi, superintendent of Khulna General Hospital.

He said the hospital had adequate supplies of dengue testing kits and medicines, but a shortage of beds had become a major problem.

The situation is similar at Khulna Medical College Hospital, where 113 dengue patients were being treated yesterday against 40 beds in its medicine ward.

Dengue patients have also been placed in the paediatric ward, while others are being treated on floors and verandahs due to the lack of space.

Hospital Superintendent Md Akhtaruzzaman said there was no shortage of medicines or testing kits.

“If the number of patients increases further, we are prepared to open a separate dengue unit at the emergency department on the ground floor,” he said.

Private hospitals are also struggling to accommodate patients.

At Khulna City Medical College Hospital, all 15 beds in the dengue ward were occupied, prompting authorities to convert 19 cabins for dengue treatment. Even then, around 10 patients had to return without admission because no beds were available, said hospital director Mostafa Kamal.

The surge is also taking a toll on patients.

Mouli Mallik, a class 11 student at Khulna City College, developed a high fever before seeking treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital. Doctors initially tested her for typhoid and other illnesses before confirming dengue.

“Doctors conducted tests to determine whether I had typhoid or any other illness with similar symptoms. Later, it was confirmed that I had dengue,” she said.

Although she has recovered to some extent, Mouli said severe body aches and other complications were still affecting her studies.

Tanvir Sohel, meanwhile, had to seek treatment at a private hospital after failing to secure a bed at Khulna Medical College Hospital.

“I regularly slept under a mosquito net and used mosquito repellent. But I still don't understand how I got infected,” he said.

He said he had already spent around Tk 13,000 on medicines and was uncertain when he would fully recover.

Meanwhile, Khulna City Corporation administrator Nazrul Islam Monju yesterday inspected an ongoing crash programme in areas around Municipal Tank Road and Char Colony in Rupsha Notun Bazar.

After visiting several hospitals, Monju said he was alarmed by the situation.

“We were shocked to see the situation after visiting several hospitals. Except at the medical college hospital, there are no vacant beds in any hospital,” he said.

The city corporation has divided Khulna's 31 wards into three zones and assigned three officials to oversee the mosquito-control drive. It plans to conduct awareness campaigns, distribute leaflets and make public announcements through loudspeakers.

Authorities are conducting insecticide spraying and fogging operations twice daily while intensifying efforts to identify dengue hotspots and mosquito breeding grounds. Officials have also been directed to eliminate breeding sites with stronger community involvement to curb the spread of the disease.

The corporation also plans to engage religious leaders, including imams, Hindu priests and Christian priests, in awareness campaigns.

However, SM Iqbal Hossain Tuhin, general secretary of Khulna Nagarik Forum said, “The city corporation should have taken effective measures to control mosquitoes from the beginning of the monsoon. It has failed to do so.”

He said residents also needed to regularly clean their homes and surroundings and remove stagnant water where Aedes mosquitoes can breed.